Accidental Weed-and-Feed on Roses and Tulips: Emergency Damage Control

Applied weed-and-feed to roses/tulips (2-3 scoops each). Week later: tulip flowers gone, leaves pale; rose leaves pale. Asked how long nitrogen effect lasts, if plants survive, what to do.

Herbicide Damage

Weed-and-feed contains broadleaf herbicide (kills roses) + fertilizer. Herbicide translocates to roots, kills feeder roots and soil bacteria. Fertilizer useless without roots.

Roses: Emergency Protocol

• Cut to 12 inches, remove all leaves.
• Mulch base.
• Water daily, no fertilizer.
• New leaves in ~3 weeks if roots not permanently damaged.

Tulips

Remove mulch, wash bulbs, replant in clean soil. If few, do in hours—they'll still bloom.

Follow-Up: New Roses

New roses (2-3 weeks in ground) have few leaves, no buds. Herbicide on mulch. Remove mulch, spread where no plants. Remove leaves. Water heavily. May survive if product only had 2-4-D. Wait and see.